Oriental garden lizard (Calotes vesicolor)

Oriental Garden Lizard (Calotes versicolor)

The Oriental Garden Lizard, scientifically known as Calotes versicolor, is a common agamid lizard found across South and Southeast Asia. It is well known for its ability to change color, its territorial nature, and its distinct head-bobbing display during mating or defense.

Physical Description

• Size:
  • Total length: 25–35 cm (10–14 inches), including the tail.
  • Body length: Around 10 cm (4 inches).
• Coloration:
  • Typically brownish, gray, or olive-green for camouflage.
  • Males turn bright orange, red, or yellow on the head and throat during mating season.
  • Dark bands may appear on the body and tail.
• Body Features:
  • Slender body with a long, tapering tail.
  • Small, pointed spines run from the head down the neck and along the back.
  • Strong limbs with sharp claws, adapted for climbing.
• Lifespan: Around 5–7 years in the wild.

Habitat & Distribution

• Native to:
  • Found in India, Sri Lanka, Nepal, Bangladesh, Myanmar, Thailand, Cambodia, Laos, Vietnam, Malaysia, Indonesia, and southern China.
• Preferred Habitat:
  • Forests, grasslands, agricultural lands, urban gardens, and parks.
  • Frequently seen in human settlements, climbing trees, walls, and fences.

Behavior & Diet

• Diet:
  • Primarily insectivorous, feeding on ants, beetles, grasshoppers, crickets, caterpillars, and termites.
  • Occasionally eats small lizards, frogs, bird eggs, and even plant material.
• Hunting Strategy:
  • Uses its sharp eyesight to detect prey from a distance.
  • Moves slowly and strikes with speed and accuracy.
• Daily Activity:
  • Diurnal (active during the day), spending time basking, hunting, and defending territory.
  • Often seen perched on tree trunks, walls, or rocks.
• Territorial Behavior:
  • Males defend their territory by bobbing their heads, flaring their throats, and sometimes engaging in fights.
  • Color change is also used to signal dominance.
• Defense Mechanisms:
  • Camouflage helps it blend into its surroundings.
  • When threatened, it may inflate its body, darken its color, and open its mouth aggressively.
  • Fast runner and can climb quickly to escape predators.

Reproduction & Lifecycle

• Mating Season: Typically during the warm months (spring to early summer).
• Courtship:
  • Males develop bright red/orange heads and throats.
  • Perform head-bobbing and push-ups to attract females.
• Eggs:
  • Females lay 10–20 eggs in soft soil or sand.
  • Incubation takes about 6–8 weeks.
• Hatchlings:
  • Young lizards look like miniature adults, about 5 cm (2 inches) long.
  • Highly vulnerable to predators like snakes, birds, and larger lizards.

Threats & Conservation

• Threats:
  • Habitat destruction due to urbanization and agriculture.
  • Predation by birds, snakes, and domestic cats.
• Conservation Status:
  • Listed as “Least Concern” (LC) by the IUCN, as it remains abundant and widely distributed.

Interesting Facts

• Can change color, but not as dramatically as chameleons.
• Also called “Changeable Lizard” because of its ability to alter its shade.
• Males turn bright red during the breeding season, earning them the nickname “Bloodsucker Lizard” (though they don’t actually suck blood!).
• Can detach its tail if grabbed by a predator, though this is rare compared to geckos.

Summary

The Oriental Garden Lizard (Calotes versicolor) is a color-changing, insect-eating, arboreal reptile found across Asia. It thrives in gardens, forests, and urban areas, where it hunts insects and small animals. Known for its territorial head-bobbing displays, this adaptable species remains abundant despite habitat changes.

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